“My instructor has to be the best, I felt confident all through my lessons and took it onto my test with a first time pass! I would highly recommend.”
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Alfie Bart
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LKent · ME & DA postcodes · DVSA-licensed instructors
DRIVING LESSONS IN KENT
ME1 - ME20 · DA1 - DA13 postcodes covered
- DVSA-licensed
- DBS-checked
- Paid after your lesson
8
Kent DVSA test centres
64,042
Kent tests · 2025/26
64.5%
Top centre · Tunbridge Wells
11
Kent towns covered
01 / Pass Rates / Official DVSA 2025/26 Test Centre Statistics
Kent test centre
pass rates (2025/26)
Tunbridge Wells passes 64.5% of 5,726 tests and Folkestone 42.4% of 7,818. Gillingham is the busiest Kent centre with 14,886 tests, and it is the home centre for seven of our eleven Kent towns. Across all 317 car test centres in Great Britain the same DVSA table gives 50.0%.
Every Kent driving test centre compared
Overall, manual and automatic pass rates for the eight Kent centres plus Erith and Sidcup, the London centres closest to Dartford and Longfield. Learners in Maidstone and West Malling test at Maidstone, while Chatham, Rochester and Sittingbourne use Gillingham.
| Test centre | Overall pass rate (tests) | Manual | Automatic | Our Kent towns that test here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tunbridge Wells | 64.5% (5,726 tests) | 65.8% | 61.0% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
| Maidstone | 60.2% (8,053 tests) | 63.4% | 53.6% | Maidstone, West Malling |
| Sevenoaks | 59.0% (6,740 tests) | 60.9% | 54.2% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
| Sidcup (London) | 58.7% (14,318 tests) | 60.6% | 56.7% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
| Gillingham | 56.4% (14,886 tests) | 59.4% | 51.9% | Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Sheerness, Gravesend |
| Herne Bay | 55.9% (10,674 tests) | 57.1% | 52.2% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
| Erith (London) | 51.6% (5,809 tests) | 53.0% | 50.4% | Dartford, Longfield |
| Ashford (Kent) | 46.2% (5,475 tests) | 47.9% | 42.1% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
| Canterbury | 45.8% (4,670 tests) | 46.9% | 43.0% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
| Folkestone | 42.4% (7,818 tests) | 45.0% | 34.3% | Not a home centre for our 11 towns |
02 / Kent Towns / Town & Postcode Directory
Driving lessons
by Kent town
| Town | Postcodes | Practical test centre | Centre pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maidstone | ME14 - ME20 | Maidstone (ME15 6JZ) | 60.2% |
| West Malling | ME19 & ME20 | Maidstone (ME15 6JZ) | 60.2% |
| Gillingham | ME7 & ME8 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Chatham | ME4 & ME5 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Rochester | ME1 - ME3 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Rainham | ME8 & ME9 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Sittingbourne | ME9 & ME10 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Sheerness | ME12 & ME11 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Gravesend | DA11 - DA13 | Gillingham (ME8 0RZ) | 56.4% |
| Dartford | DA1 - DA4 | Erith (DA17 6LJ) | 51.6% |
| Longfield | DA3 & DA2 | Erith (DA17 6LJ) | 51.6% |
03 / Learner Reviews / 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot
Kent driving
lesson reviews
“My instructor was the best teacher I've had he explained everything I needed to know in order to pass my test. I would definitely recommend him to anyone that need any lessons”
“Extremely good instructor, I passed first time!! He was very patient and explained everything so it was easy to understand. Would absolutely recommend.”
“Helped me pass my driving test with ease and really helped me with understanding how to drive and car and understand how a car works”
“Really really good instructor. Really pushes you to pass your test and prepares you for the worst that could happen on test day”
Rated Driving scores 4.8 out of 5 from 252 reviews on Trustpilot.
04 / FAQs / Test Centres, Towns & Booking
Driving lessons in
Kent FAQs
Tunbridge Wells is highest, at 64.5% from 5,726 tests in the DVSA 2025/26 figures, and Folkestone is lowest at 42.4%. Of the centres our Kent towns use, Maidstone passes 60.2%, Gillingham 56.4% and Erith, just over the London border, 51.6%. A pass rate reflects local roads and who tests there, so a centre you can reach calmly can matter more than a few points.
Seven of our eleven Kent towns test at Gillingham on Courteney Road: Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester, Rainham, Sittingbourne, Sheerness and Gravesend. Maidstone and West Malling learners use Armstrong Road in Maidstone, and Dartford and Longfield learners use Erith. A new test can be booked at any centre in Britain, though since 9 June 2026 moving a test you already hold is limited to the three centres nearest to where it is booked.
Rates are set per postcode area, so this county page does not quote a price. Each Kent town page shows its own current rates, and the postcode box at the top of this page takes you straight to yours.
Yes. You can ask for a female driving instructor when you book, and the match is limited to instructors who cover your ME or DA postcode. If nobody suitable has space we tell you up front rather than quietly matching you with someone else.
Yes, in every Kent town we cover. An automatic licence lets you drive automatic cars only, while a manual licence covers both. At Gillingham, manual tests pass at 59.4% and automatic tests at 51.9% in the DVSA 2025/26 figures.
There is no fixed number of lessons. DVSA advice is that learners who pass have usually had around 45 hours of professional lessons plus about 22 hours of private practice. You need to pass the theory test before booking the practical test, and the theory pass certificate is valid for two years.
Yes. The practical car test follows the same DVSA format everywhere: an eyesight check, show me tell me questions, around 20 minutes of independent driving and one reversing exercise, lasting about 40 minutes in total. Only the local roads differ, which is why centre pass rates vary.
No. Rated Driving matches you with independent, DVSA-licensed driving instructors across the ME and DA postcodes of Kent. Every instructor is DBS-checked, and we hold your payment until after the lesson.
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Start driving lessons
in Kent
Enter your ME or DA postcode to go straight to your town.
- DVSA-licensed
- DBS-checked
- Paid after your lesson
